4 Cost-Effective Home Improvement Projects That Increase Your Home Safety and Security

Posted on February 19, 2018

Everyone can benefit from better home security, and the best place to start is with simple and cheap projects. Once you start improving the safety of your property and the people who live in it, you get a better sense of the more serious security investments you could benefit from. But for now, try these simple cost-effective projects.

1. Replace Set Screws

One of the cheapest options for increasing your security is using longer set screws for your door hinges and strike plate. All you will need for this improvement project are 3-inch screws to replace the 1 ¼ inch set screws your door and strike are already using.

This will strengthen the two weakest points on your door against kicking and battering ram attacks. By having the set screw bite into the stud of the door frame, the screws are less likely to rip free during an impact.

Most homeowners will not need to grapple with the dilemma of hiring a professional or going the DIY route because this improvement is so simple. Just be very careful when taking the door off the hinges, and be sure you have a place to rest the door that will not scuff your floor or otherwise harm your property or the door.

2. Improve Your Exterior Perimeter

Good landscaping helps the curb appeal of your home, but it also improves your safety and security in a few unexpected ways. By trimming plants around windows you allow yourself to have a better line of sight to quickly assess your perimeter. You also give thieves fewer places to hide when you remove overgrowth.

With proper exterior lighting, you can also remove shadows that may obscure criminal activity. When you take steps to improve the appearance of your home you are also demonstrating that you care about your property. This creates the assumption in the minds of most criminals that you will have alarms, cameras, and other security measures.

With a well-kept lawn, good lighting, and a home appearance that does not look neglected, you will significantly reduce the risk of crime. Consider doing this type of home improvement in tandem with changing the siding on your home or while you are painting your exterior. Lights and gardening are very cheap and easy to maintain.

3. Choose The Right Smart Home Devices

Though not every smart home device is cheap, they may be cost-effective because they offer a variety of benefits beyond security. Smart home improvements can increase the resale value of your property, and they can make your daily routine more convenient. Some good starter products include smart doorbells, smart locks, and smart light bulbs.

Smart doorbells are very effective because they have cameras, real-time monitoring, and most burglaries happen at the front door. Often the doorbell is rung to see if anyone is in. If there is no response, an attempt is made to break in. Smart locks offer convenience, but they can also allow you to remotely lock a door you had left open. If the lock does not use a key, they are also more difficult to open.

Smart lights offer you a lot of dynamic lighting options, and the ability to save energy, but they also enable you to make a home look occupied when it is empty. These are just a few examples, but there are many smart products you may find fit your lifestyle and add security to your home.

4. Fix Sticking Doors

Sticking doors harm your security and your safety. If they are sticking and won’t close or lock reliably, they are by definition, insecure. If a door is sticking shut, this can be catastrophic during an emergency. This is not just an issue with exterior doors either, these problems can crop up in bathroom and bedroom doors as well.

When you are handling your dream bedroom renovation, be sure that one of your home improvement projects is getting all the doors in working order. You do not want to ever find yourself locked in your bedroom. And if you live with other people, you want your security and/or privacy to always be intact.

Fixing a door is often much easier than you would think. If the door is an issue, most of the time you can sand it so that expanded sections of the wood are back to their original working size. If the issue requires you to fix door handles there are many quick fixes for that as well.

Whether you are looking to reduce the risk of a burglary or prevent summer accidents, these home improvements are a good place to start. They are cost-effective and simple to perform on their own or while you are in the process of other home renovations. Don’t wait to fix or improve your home security.